Sunday, September 30, 2012

The randomly generated levels Skylight
provides adds replay value, although the general layout patterns and
steadily increasing difficulty stay the same; a bonus mode is
unlocked when you complete the base game. The controls are typical
for a first/third person game (WASD to move and the mouse to look),
and you can toggle between first- and third-person perspectives. The
goal is to bounce on each platform, navigating between them without
falling. Landing on each platform produces a note, but the frequency
of these sounds is not high enough to make memorable, user-generated
music while you play. Piano notes bounce higher, cracked platforms
can crumble, and glowing platforms grant an additional life. As you
climb, the sky becomes darker and a head-mounted flashlight is used
to see where to jump, adding to the high difficulty of the game. I
found Skylight to be quite challenging; partially due to my
ineptitude but also due, I think, to inexact, slightly inconsistent
jumping physics. However, those interested in a challenging, casual,
randomly generated jumping game will find their $2.50 well spent.

Friday, September 28, 2012

The game features a thirty-three level
campaign where each mission clocks in under ten minutes in length.
Each level has a scripted layout and you can’t repeat previously
completed missions. A difficulty level can be chosen at the beginning
of the campaign, but cannot be altered once you start. Between
missions, you can unlock research options that award more command
points, faster production, increased attack or defense ratings, or
enhanced range. There is no single player skirmish beyond the
campaign, although Blue Libra 2 features online multiplayer, but only
if you know your opponent’s IP address in advance. The interface is
clearly designed for touch screens, but it works well enough with a
mouse. Unit paths are drawn on the screen, and splitting groups is
accomplished by drawing while holding the shift button. Units are
automatically placed in fleets for easier management, and rally
points can be assigned to quickly move units as they are built. Units
are built automatically as soon as the planet-specific resources are
available, which also reduces micromanagement. Your planets and
mothership can be upgraded, which increases damage and production
speed, but prevents buildings units for a significant amount of time.
Planets provide more units and asteroids automatically ship resources
to nearby worlds. Units have specific roles on the field of battle
and automatically engage any enemy unit in range. Game balance is
almost ruined by the static defensive emplacements that cause too
many damage and are captured too slowly. The AI is a competent foe,
sending appropriately-sized fleets to vulnerable planets. While Blue
Libra 2 is relatively simplistic, it is a fast-paced, streamlined,
manageable, approachable, and challenging real-time strategy game.

Monday, September 24, 2012

This game is a remake of Tony Hawk 1
and 2, the latter of which originally came out for the PC in 2000.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD features some notable skaters, though fewer
than the original versions and with no create-a-skater mode to expand
the content. The game centers around the career mode, although there
are also pointless single session and free ride modes, in addition to
some more exotic rules unlocked during the career. There are seven
levels culled from the original games, unlocked by completing
objectives in each map. Unfortunately, unlocked maps are per-skater
only, which is annoying but new things open up pretty quickly. The
trick shop allows you to use money earned by completing objectives to
purchase new moves. Most notably, the PC version of Tony Hawk's Pro
Skater HD does not feature any multiplayer: no LAN, nothing online,
not even split screen. This is a very disappointing limitation that’s
partially justified in the PC version’s lower price. The game also
lacks the park editor, another missing feature of the original
series. The controls are as they were: grinding, grabbing, ollies,
and flipping are all a button press away. The game seems to progress
at a slower pace, as I was unable to string together more than about
two aerial tricks in a row; I am unsure whether this is due to slower
skater speeds or sluggish animations (or poor skill on my part, of
course). The level objectives involve attaining score levels,
grabbing the elusive DVD, collecting the word “SKATE” and other
objects, and performing specific tricks in precise areas. The map
shows all of the locations of the collectables, which takes
exploration out of the game if you want it to. While Tony Hawk's Pro
Skater HD runs at a fixed HD resolution of 720p, clipping and
inconsistent collision physics and animations make it feel like an
older game. The levels themselves look almost identical to their
twelve-year-old counterparts, with no added effects to make the
presentation more contemporary, and the soundtrack features a mix of
old and new songs. While Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD does bring back
nostalgic feelings about the original titles, it is a cheap (both in
terms of price and quality) replica of those classic games. The lack
of multiplayer and tedious unlocking of new content are significant
shortcomings, and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD feels archaic when
compared against more recent Tony Hawk skating games. It is a mostly
faithful remake of the first two games in the series, but it's
missing several features found in the originals and adds nothing new
to the formula to compensate.

Friday, September 21, 2012

The game covers an interesting period of history: the Roman Civil
Wars. Each of the six scenarios (a satisfying amount of content) has
two or three fighting factions, with the objective to earn the most
victory points by killing enemy units and holding important cities.
Compared to AGEOD’s last effort, Pride
of Nations, Alea Jacta Est has a more manageable scale and
much shorter turn resolution. The tutorial just teaches the basics
and instructs the user to read the manual for more information, and
multiplayer can only be played by e-mail. The interface is very
familiar to any veteran of AGEOD games, receiving no major
enhancements. As before, units are organized into large groups
containing several to many individual units, and each element is very
detailed in its attributes. Leading each group is a commander that
also has very detailed attributes that affect movement and
performance in battle. Taxes are spent recruiting new units onto the
field, and a range of decisions can be made to influence specific
territories. Supply lines must be kept, and combat is completely
automated but detailed. The AI seems to play the game decently well
and is aggressive when needed, while defending when appropriate.
While Alea Jacta Est plays very similarly to other AGEOD games, those
with an interest in the time period will find their money well spent.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

This single player game has eight
levels in each of four acts, each of which has scripted enemy
encounters that reduces replay value. March to the Moon does have
impressive customization options: twelve classes (like flame,
alchemy, and runes) with nine active and passive abilities each are
available, which gives a lot of freedom in choosing your particular
skills. There are some repeated themes in the abilities (a basic
attack, area attack, improved weapon damage), but some unique
abilities are also seen in each class. Eventually, you can pick an
additional class, creating a unique character exhibiting different
strategies each time you play. The controls for the top-down game are
intuitive, and the constantly scrolling screen keeps you moving. Mana
must be managed, so tactical use of your most powerful spells is
important. The varied enemies (rats, bats, orcs, snakes, robots, and
powerful bosses) each have scripted behaviors, but come in high
quantities to keep the action constant and the pace flowing.
Difficulty can be very high, especially if you choose uncomplimentary
abilities. Overall, March to the Moon provides solid value at a $3
price point for fans of a challenging top-down shooter with extensive
role-playing skill options.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Since I previously reviewed last year’s
version of the game, this video will primarily concentrate on what’s
new. First, the twenty-four drivers and twenty tracks of the 2012
season (including newcomer Circuit of the Americas and returning
circuits Bahrain and Hockenheim, with Turkey being removed) are
included. The game strives, and succeeds, to be more approachable,
with a new Young Driver Test tutorial mode that is done well, and
narrated strategy information videos accompany each track. The new
champions mode offers multi-lap challenges to pass a specific past
champion, and the season challenge cuts the number of events in half
while giving you a rival driver you can swap rides with if you defeat
him on the track. The multiplayer options remain the same, but the
removal of Games for Windows LIVE is welcome. The races offer no
noticeable changes to the AI, damage model, or handling, not that any
were needed. The improved weather system soaks specific areas of each
track, which can produce some interesting racing and important
decisions regarding tires. The outstandingly detailed graphics remain
and perform quite smoothly. The new game modes are meaningful
additions, but owners of last year's F1 effort will find it hard to
justify spending $50. Those drivers new to the series, however, will
find a rich, approachable simulation well worth the asking price.

Friday, September 14, 2012

The game is more straightforward and more
polished but less innovative than the developer’s previous RTS
title APOX. The game’s focus is on multiplayer, but there is a three-hour
campaign to learn some of the mechanics. The skirmish mode, which can
be played against AI bots or online, gives standard customization
options, but there are only a few maps and two races. While the
humans are very typical in their approach, the alien race allows you
to combine some units on the battlefield to produce a more powerful
variant, allowing you to change your strategy quickly without having
to fully invest in new troops. Tryst has a very fast pace, where you
must capture resource points to afford new units and structures. Each
map includes annoying environmental hazards, like hostile plants and
lava, that cannot be destroyed. Buildings are placed to unlock new
units, for defense, or to increase the population cap. The flexible
research tree provides several bonuses for each unit in the game,
which allows you to tailor your upgrades to the specific units you
use the most. All units will run out of ammunition, so you must
capture an energy resource location near the enemy base to have any
chance at a successful assault. Resource buildings are way too easy
to capture, done so quickly even with a single unit. Conversely, the
enemy headquarters is way too hard to destroy; even if you have an
insurmountable lead in resource and unit production, it is
exceedingly difficult to take out an opponent, due to high HQ health
and manual ammunition resupply. Tryst is very susceptible to
stalemates, which needlessly increases the amount of time it takes to
determine a victor. The AI is competent enough at the game, as I was
unable to tell the difference between human and computer opponents
during online matches. Overall, Tryst is an approachable real-time
strategy game that features a number of questionable design decisions
that reduce its appeal.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

It's a “roguelike” because it's
very challenging and purposely unfair, with permanent death to seal
your fate. This approach makes every victory taste better, and the
sting of losing a really good ship hurt even more. The game features
procedurally generated maps, so you’re never quite sure what you
will encounter: nebulae (that disable some ship systems), asteroid
fields, plasma storms, and solar flares, just to name a few. Also
included are trading ships and short quests (usually just warping to
a nearby location for a resource reward) as you jump towards the exit
of each sector. While you start out with a standard ship design,
there are eight others that can be unlocked by completed multi-step
quests. FTL does not offer the user the ability to crease custom ship
layouts, though. The tutorial does a decent job teaching the basics
of the game, and cooperative multiplayer could have added even more
chaos to the already hectic formula. During your time commanding the
ship, you'll manage the crew, weapons, and energy distribution. Your
energy budget can be distributed to shields, engines, oxygen, the
medical bay, weapons, cloaking, or a teleporter, all of which are
housed in separate rooms on your stately vessel. In addition to the
cockpit, sensors, and doors, all of these locations can be disabled
by damage and fire, and your crew will have to run around repairing
things, fighting aliens that have teleported in, and putting out
those pesky flames. Assigning specific target rooms for your weapons
is easy, although manipulating the door system can be a bit picky, an
issue when you are attempting to quickly vent out the oxygen to
extinguish a widespread fire. Resources earned by destroying ships
and completing quests can be spent upgrading your systems, adjusting
the characteristics of your ship toward the abilities of your crew
and your play style. Overall, FTL is a fantastic adaptation of
rouglelike conventions to a great theme that is immediately engaging
with the panicked chaos of running your ship.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

The game offers an objective-based “quest” mode, an infinite (until you die, of course) survival mode, and a mode where you can challenge your friends if you have any. Bust-N-Rush does not have real-time direct multiplayer, but does offer a high score list for that method of comparison. The procedurally generated levels go a long way towards making this an interesting game, since you never know which obstacles will come up next. Each map has three lanes to run down with blue objects to smash, red obstacles (lava, barrels) to jump over or move around, and special items (flipping gravity, speed increase) to vary the action even more. The difficulty level adjusts how much damage you receive by touching a red object. The objectives add another layer to the game, instructing you to destroy specific objects, collect items, jump over things, or survive for a set amount of time. The simple controls are approachable and easy to manage, though I would like “run” to be on by default to decrease the constant use of the “W” key, as the game is best played when the action is fast and/or furious. While Bust-N-Rush is a very basic game, it is enjoyable in short bursts and executes its vision well.

Friday, September 07, 2012

The game is basically a light version
of Defense of the Ancients, where you primarily control a hero and
(here’s the difference) manually summon creeps to fight by your
side. The game only has three maps with three game modes: capture
bases, capture bases in a slightly different way, and team
deathmatch. Starvoid has quick match durations, with a single game
clocking in a ten minutes. The game is entirely online with no single
player content to practice with. The online servers also seem to be
in Europe, as the poor pings and subsequent lag is noticeable and
negatively impacts the gameplay. New items and abilities can be
unlocked as you play; while you level up quickly, most of the
interesting content is reserved for high-level players, so you must
use one of stock characters to be competitive early on. It’s
disappointing that there is a significant amount of customization to
be had that is needlessly locked away from beginners. There is a
commander for each play style (assault, ranged, stealth, support),
and you can summon one unit of two or three different types
simultaneously, which really limits strategic variety. The limited
unit count does reduce micromanagement, however. Eliminating an enemy
commander will remove all of their summoned units from the game, so
that is the primary objective. Starvoid utilizes RTS-style controls
with helpful tool-tips and unit descriptions, but lacks a “select
all” shortcut, which makes for some very tedious unit selection.
Battles are usually a chaotic mess, and the few special abilities and
units you can control really limit your options during the bland
combat. In the end, Starvoid offers streamlined gameplay that doesn’t
offer enough variety to hold interest for very long, especially early
in the game.

Monday, September 03, 2012

The game is meant to be played online,
but you can play against bots that are competent enough, though they
do not retreat when outnumbered or near death, and don’t fly in
erratic patterns, making it easy to eliminate them from a distance.
Joining a game is easy using the included browser, and there are
plenty of options (respawn time, collision damage, air density) to
customize a hosted match. The seven maps, with additional smaller
versions, offer obstacles that do impact the game (and impact your
ship, if you run into them). The objective is to destroy the enemy
carrier, or eliminate the most enemies before time runs out. Money is
earned by getting kills, which can be spent customizing your ship
design. The ship customization is well done, with lots of parts you
can place on your ship, allowing you to quickly create something that
appeals to your play style. Players can get really creative with
their designs as well: someone made a crazy spinning disk that fired
bullets in all directions, for example. Ship damage is also
intriguing, as individual parts (and the things attached to those
parts) cease functioning, resulting in a progressively crippled ship.
The interface shows nearby enemy ships spotted on radar, but doesn’t
do a good enough job differentiating friend from foe. The combat is
interesting from the overhead perspective, featuring powerful weapons
and the aforementioned damage model. There is a learning curve when
dealing with the game’s physics, but ship customization allows you
to equate your ship with your driving style. Overall, I was
pleasantly surprised with Gimbal, as the combat is brutal, the damage
detailed, and the ship customization is meaningful and flexible.